The TVs of CES 2018: the finest screens from LG, Samsung, Sony and TCL

Las Vegas was hit by CES fever this week, and that usually means a bucketload of new TVs get announced. CES 2018 has been no different to normal, with a host of new sets from the usual suspects appearing in booths and presentations during the course of the week.

To help you pick the very best of the TV sets on show at CES, we’ve compiled our picks from the show, the ones that really stand out from the also-rans. In no particular order they are as follows. Pricing and availability details are still on the way before you ask…

LG W8 OLED

The brand new LG W8 OLED isn’t all that different from the LG W7 we saw last year – but it’s still a fantastic panel to gaze at, and a number of improvements on the software side (hello Google Assistant!) make this one of our picks of the CES show this week.

The slim 65-incher comes complete with a Dolby Atmos-equipped soundbar, while a small upgrade to the internals means better picture processing for both motion and contrast. You’ve also got no less than four types of HDR to choose from.

Samsung’s The Wall

No, it’s not a Game of Thrones landmark – it’s the newest television concept from Samsung, a whopping 146 inches of display that has been wowing the crowds in Vegas this week, and with good reason. It’s a gorgeous-looking and massive TV set.

It makes use of MicroLED technology – that’s something we don’t know much about, but it uses smaller LEDs and is intended to close the gap with OLED as far as dark blacks go. It’s also, rather impressively, 100% bezel-free. Better start saving (and removing the fireplace).

Sony A8F OLED

The Sony A8F OLED is very, very similar to last year’s A1E model, but we liked that TV a lot, and so this variation earns a place in our top picks for CES 2018. The only differences are the addition of an extra subwoofer out back and a redesigned stand for it to sit on.

Apart from that you get a fantastic-looking picture, held in a monolithic design that’s going to dominate any living room, with a top size of 65 inches. Plus, Android TV is on board, so you get a better choice of apps and smart TV features than you do from most sets.

LG Super SK9500

This is LG’s very top Super UHD TV of 2018 and it’s going to be available in 65 or 55-inch sizes. It employs Nano Cell display technology with full array local dimming, for perfectly uniform black dimming, and is powered along by the nippy Alpha 7 processor.

Sound isn’t neglected either, and the TV is set to come with Dolby Atmos support (though you don’t get a soundbar included as you do with the W8 we mentioned above). Like the new OLED sets, Google Assistant will be on hand for all your needs and queries.

Samsung Q9S 8K

Is the world ready for 8K? Samsung certainly is, and the Samsung Q9S 8K TV was certainly a sight to behold when we spotted it on the show floor in Las Vegas. It’s party trick is being able to convert anything, even rubbish SD, into more than 33 million pixels.

Beyond that, Samsung is keeping its cards pretty close to its chest when it comes to the rest of the specs of Q9S, but with a panel that looks this good, we don’t mind waiting. One screen size has been announced so far, which comes in at a whopping 85 inches.

Sony X900F

The Sony X900F was on show in Las Vegas to remind us that LCD still has a lot to offer in the ongoing battle with OLED – full array local dimming optimizes the quality of HDR, and it’s one of the most responsive TVs on the market, as well as simply looking great.

You get Google Assistant built into this set, as well as support for Dolby Vision, though we’re still waiting to hear on some of the nitty-gritty as far as specs go. We do know the set is going to be available in a variety of sizes, from 49 inches all the way up to 85 inches.

While we’re here we should also mention the X1 Ultimate-powered prototype 8K TV Sony also showed off in Vegas – besides that super-high-resolution screen, it brings with it a peak luminance of 10,000 nits, though no word yet on when it’s going to be fully unveiled or when it might hit the market.

LG Rollable OLED

Everyone loves a CES party trick, and LG certainly brought one to Las Vegas with its 65-inch rollable OLED screen, a bigger and improved version of an 18-inch model that the company demoed at CES way back in 2014. You still can’t buy it, however.

On your command, the TV screen rolls down into the base, which is one way to limit the amount of screen time the kids are getting or to transport your television set into another room. It has a 4K resolution, but when it’ll finally go on sale remains to be seen.

TCL 6-Series

Down at the budget end of the market, TCL has been making a name for itself for some time now (with the help of Roku), and the 6-Series TVs it unveiled at CES 2018 look to be continuing the TCL tradition of fab-looking panels at very reasonable prices.

Available in 55 or 66 inches, the sets come with built-in support for Dolby Vision, as well as some smart tech for improving contrast balance and color gamut. There’s also a brushed metal finish, putting these models one step above the usual TCL fare.